TACNY Junior Cafe Scientifique: “Cheetah…Cheetah…What Do You See?”

Saturday – September 21, 9:30-11:00am

Cheetahs… the fastest animals on earth have been with us for over 4 million years, but today the cheetah is in trouble. What factors influence the cheetahs’ diminishing numbers? What can be done to conserve this unique species of animal? Join Liverpool High School teacher Drew Calderwood as he discusses his experience with the Cheetah Conservation Fund of Namibia, Africa, and explains what learning about the cheetah can teach us about ourselves!

People interested in learning more about cheetahs are invited to attend the free Junior Cafe presentation on Saturday, June 15, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology (MOST) in Syracuse’s Armory Square. Walk-ins are welcome, but we ask that people RSVP by emailing jrcafe@tacny.org by September 19, 2013.

Presenter

Drew Calderwood, an Earth Science teacher with Liverpool SD and a professional geologist, spent last summer with cheetahs! This of course made his own cat – Boo – very jealous! While Drew is not a wildlife biologist or zookeeper, he does have a passion for understanding the world around us and our role in it. As part of a Master’s degree program in conservation, Drew visited the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia, Africa during the summer of 2012. Over a period of 12 days Drew was able to learn a great deal about the cheetah itself and why it is vulnerable to extinction. However… one day… while watching African wildlife around a water hole… it dawned on Drew that learning about the cheetah actually can teach us a lot more about ourselves! We see an animal in trouble, but what does the animal see in us? What if the cheetah could talk?

TACNY Junior Cafe Scientifique

TACNY Junior Cafe Scientifique, a program for middle-school students founded in 2005, features discussions about topics in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in an informal atmosphere and seeks to encourage students to consider careers in these areas. Students must be accompanied by an adult and can explore the MOST at no cost after the event.

Technology Alliance of Central New York

Founded in 1903 as the Technology Club of Syracuse, the nonprofit Technology Alliance of Central New York’s mission is to facilitate community awareness, appreciation, and education of technology; and to collaborate with like-minded organizations across Central New York.